ow nearly he had come to
losing his own job when David Shelton broke relations with his
employers. He had been too enthusiastic in support of some of the
older man's claims.

"It's been terrible," the girl whispered. She clung nervously to his
arm as he picked the way back to the road. "The loneliness, and all.
No servants will stay out here now, and father spends all of his time
in the laboratory. Then--this fear of the mechanical men--they haunt
me. I--I guess they've got me a little goofy."

Eddie laughed reassuringly. "Perhaps," he suggested, "you will let me
help you. Your father, I believe, will remember me, and I'll be very
glad to--"

"No, no!" The girl seemed frightened at the thought. "I'm sure he
wouldn't welcome you. He's changed greatly of late and is suspicious
of everyone, even keeping things from me. But it's awfully nice of you
to offer your assistance, and you've been a perfect peach to take care
of me this way. I--I'd better go now."

They had reached the road and Eddie looked uncertainly at his
roadster. He hated to think of leaving the girl in this lonely spot.
She was obviously in a state of extreme nervous tension and, to him,
seemed pathetically helpless, and afraid.

"That the house?" he asked, pointing in the direction of the gloomy
old mansion whose dilapidated gables were barely visible over the tree
tops.

"Yes." The girl shivered and drew closer to him.

The ensuing silence was broken by the slam of a door. His car! Eddie
looked toward it in amazement; he was hearing things again. The
springs sagged on the driver's side as under the weight of a very
heavy occupant, but the seat was empty. Then came the whine of the
starter and the motor purred into life. The gears clashed sickeningly
and the car was jerked into the road with a violence that should have
stripped the differential. He pulled the girl aside just as it roared
past and disappeared around the bend in a cloud of dust. The sound of
the exhaust died away rapidly and left them staring into each other's
eyes in awed silence.

* * * * *

David Shelton was prowling around in the shrubbery when they
approached the house--a furtive, unkempt creature whom Eddie would
hardly have recognized. He straightened up and peered at his
daughter's companion with obvious disapproval.

"Lina," he said severely, "I've told you we want no visitors."

"Yes, Dad, I know, but Mr. Vail's car was stolen out in fro